


Flower of Change

by Cloudseer



Series: The Carpenter and the Witch [2]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Cor gets attached, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Gen, It's a work in progress, Noctis and fishing, Nyx learns to human
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-31
Updated: 2019-08-31
Packaged: 2020-10-04 05:34:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,646
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20465840
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cloudseer/pseuds/Cloudseer
Summary: They had not been looking for a housemate. Nyx had not been planning to stay.It is surprising then, how easy they adjusted to this new addition to their lives.





	Flower of Change

Noctis had, perhaps unsurprisingly, taken to Nyx’s presence with great enthusiasm. Though part of it could be attributed to waking up to Cor taking measurements off a very chatty Nyx. He had been trying to get Nyx to explain what it meant, becoming a Storm. Admittedly, said Storm had explained in great and exacting detail but Cor hadn’t really comprehended any of it. He understood it was a process, but it all sounded too fantastical for him to wrap his head around it. You just didn’t see this sort of weirdness, behind the wall. Though now, he supposed, the pervading superstition in every settlement he had come across in their time playing hermits made much more sense, if people were used to hearing that sort of tales. 

He smiled a touch sad as he watched Noctis show off his lure collection to a captive -and captivated- audience. It was a nice collection, having a few Cor had traded or bought for him, several Noctis himself had made, and the special, most treasured lure of his collection, the one that belonged to his grandfather once and that Reggie had sent years ago once he learned their son had taken to fishing. Noctis had never given any indication that he wasn’t content with the life they led. But if Cor felt lonely at times, even with the opportunities he had to meet people when he left their home to get more supplies, Noctis must be feeling it even more. It wasn’t really safe for him, to meet people. 

Nyx, however, was safe and approachable in a way that Cor suspected Noctis’ natural quietness appreciated. Curious and so fascinated with their everyday, simple life that he had endeared himself to them both with startling ease. He had never heard Noctis string so many words together in one conversation before and it was a nice change, even if it highlighted the lack of social interaction they both had. 

“--and this one is better for the lake, but it’s unreachable this time of the year.” Noctis continued to explain as he repacked his lures. Glancing at the clock -one of the very few things in the house they didn’t make- Cor could tell it was around the time he left for his daily fishing expedition. 

“Are there different fish in that lake?”

“Mostly they’re just bigger, but there’s a big black one I haven’t managed to catch yet…. If you want I can show you my river spot tomorrow?”

Nyx lit up at the offer. “Oh, yes! I’ve never seen a river from up close.” Noctis’ answering smile was radiant at the man’s agreement and dashed off with a nod. Still smiling, Nyx turned to him. “So. Mushrooms?”

Cor chuckled at his eagerness. Probably the reason Noctis hadn’t offered to take him fishing that very moment. Nyx had been almost bouncing on his toes the moment Cor said he could accompany him to gather the edible fungi that were always plentiful after a light storm. And even the brief distraction of his cooking had not been enough to make him forget that promise. 

“You’ve got the basket I made you?” Unlike his own, Nyx’s was a rush job and wouldn’t last. But it would serve them well enough for the day. 

“Yeah,” the… younger? man hoisted it up as he answered him, smile not diminishing for a second. “You have to teach me how to that.” 

“Maybe when we get back,” Cor went to the door as he talked, pausing for a moment to toss a straw hat his way. “Put that on. You don’t want to find out if you can get a sunburn do you?”

Nyx put it on, delighted as he followed him out. “That would be a novel experience.”

“And an uncomfortable one.” Cor added, wondering if he was serious about it or just his sense of humor. 

“I don’t think being hurt would feel the same as before I chose this form.”

“...” Well, that got slightly disturbing. “Don’t go hurting yourself please.” He half-ordered, half-begged. Nyx seemed curious enough about everything that he didn’t feel like taking chances. 

“Never thought of it, but I promise i won’t.”

\--

Cor was different from the image of him Nyx had built on his head, but he really hadn’t expected otherwise. He never imagined him with a voice to begin with. And anything he could’ve come up with wouldn’t have done any justice to Cor’s very real, very nice baritone. He hadn’t expected to be so *welcome* in his home either, by him and Noctis both. So he had decided to stay, even if it hadn’t been his original plan. They knew so much and were incredibly willing to show and teach him. It made him feel a warmth inside that was as unfamiliar as everything else. 

It was, also, slightly funny how he didn’t know how to react every time he was reminded, sometimes on purpose, that Nyx wasn’t the same as him. And he was nice enough to let him linger over anything that caught his attention on the path. He had thought he would recognize what he saw, but everything looked so different with his shift in perspective that he was left sorely lacking in basic knowledge. 

And he had to keep in mind that he *was* human now… Mostly. He hadn’t really felt hunger until this morning and as unpleasant as it was he now understood why cooking was a thing - wonderful invention, cooking, Libertus didn’t know what he was missing out- and gotten the invitation to gather mushrooms. Which, he soon learned, were not all the same. 

“What about this one?” He pointed at a very colorful mushroom cap. Only pointed, he had learned his lesson when he had picked one, it had turned out to be harmless but Cor had made him scrub his hands clean anyways. 

“Ah, no. That one will kill you.” Cor said, stifling a laugh when Nyx took a step back from the deceptively pretty thing. He knelt down a few paces away and started to carefully fill his basket with the much more drab looking mushrooms growing on and along some fallen trees. 

Nyx wandered off to the small clearing next to them, keeping Cor in sight. Besides mushrooms and moss there were fragrant small flowers and herbs growing where the sunlight let them. 

“Cor?” 

“Yes?”

“You use these for your tea, don’t you?”

Leaving his gathering for a moment, and he was about done- any more and they would just be wasted-, he went to see what Nyx was talking about. 

“Oh, that’s a raspberry plant.” He nodded, “I use the leaves and the berries, though that looks like a very young bush.”

“Why don’t you keep it in your garden, if you use it that much?” 

“....” Cor looked up, seemingly embarrassed. “I’m not that good at growing things,” he confessed, a small hint of red over the bridge of his nose, “Most of what we have in the garden is by accident.”

“Oh… I didn’t think there was something you would be bad at,” Nyx said sincerely as he considered the small shrub. “Let me try?”

Cor blinked at him before giving him one of his small smiles. “Sure, let me show you how to get it,” He knelt besides him and produced a trowel from somewhere. “There are a few other herbs around we can carry back if you want.”

“The bees will be happier.” He felt excitement bubble at the thought of getting his hands on the garden. He always liked the sensible ones, and this was something he was almost sure he could do well. If nothing else, they wouldn’t suffer from a drought if he had anything to say about it. His future seemed to be taking shape and it was one he didn’t have any objections to. He hoped no one had.

Noctis greeting them both with equal enthusiasm when they got back was certainly an indication he was being considered a permanent fixture now. He even got a hug from the teenager, same as Cor did. Though Noctis didn’t let him ruffle his hair in the same way. 

He did, however, let Nyx drag him to the garden and even helped him plant his small haul of treasures. “There are cherries, somewhere,” he told him when they were done, as if sharing a secret. “Cor makes the best jam from them.” 

“I’ll ask him, maybe we can grow one close by?” Nyx said, stifling a yawn, feeling strangely drained for some reason. Not that he paid it any importance. He promised Noctis he would taste what Cor did to the fish he had caught, he could figure what it meant later. 

\--

Nyx praised his cooking just as he had done that morning, savoring it even if he looked like he was barely managing to keep his eyes open. Noct, who usually slept whenever possible, seemed worried. Suddenly an idea wormed into his head and he almost cursed himself for the oversight. 

“Did you even sleep, back… there?” 

Nyx blinked at him, processing. “Not really?” He tilted his head, considering. “Is that what this is?”

“Close,” he answered with a smile as he helped the man stand up from the table. “You can take my bed for now.”

“What’s a-- 

Cor dropped him, not bothering to move the many soft pillows he kept in the bed. 

“...  _ Oh _ ” Nyx exhaled in an awed whisper, “it’s so  _ soft _ .” He hugged one of the pillows to his chest and curled up around it. It was almost adorable, really, specially since it took less than three breaths for him to drift off. 

“ _ That _ is sleep.” He said, well aware the other man could hear him. 

He was getting attached and for the life of him he couldn’t think of why that would be a bad thing. 

  
  
  



End file.
